Association Management

Working with CMA means tapping into a wealth of strategic leadership, membership management, event planning, marketing and financial management talent. Our team is committed to advancing your association’s mission and goals for leadership, by customizing our services according to your unique needs. Tap into the full potential of your association through effective association management.

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We Partner in Your Success

For more than 30 years, CMA has been a firm that utilizes its services to achieve measurable results for regional, national and international association clients. CMA is triple-accredited and one of only 75 association management companies worldwide accredited by the Association Management Company Institute. With this accreditation, we provide leadership and governance, association headquarters, membership and member programs management, growth-engine platforms, financial oversight, event management, and full-service marketing. At CMA, you can expect results. Our priorities are to leverage your strengths, amplify your member value and focus on opportunities for growth. The longevity of our association client relationships is a testament to our capabilities in helping associations overcome their challenges, in addition to maximizing their opportunities and powering their futures. We partner in your success, by proactively providing operational solutions, to advance your association’s goals, grow membership, and build event attendance. Not only will we serve as your administrative arm, but we’ll also be your strategic partner as your association grows and thrives.

Leadership & Governance
Strategic Direction

We deliver cost-effective professional management, which provides boards and associations with access to specialized staff and the human resources of a larger company. CMA is 100 percent accountable to the board of directors, for implementing the annual objectives of executive leadership and delivering results, based on best practices. CMA’s executive leadership and governance acumen serves as an important catalyst, for driving strategic growth and success. Our governance counsel enables your directors to focus on strategic policy issues and your association’s future, rather than administrative and operational tasks. By providing strategic direction and collaborative consultation to the board and committees, we work shoulder-to-shoulder with them to streamline decision-making. We keep long-term goals in sight and strive to consistently innovate new programs and services, which power growth and enhance industry visibility. Not to mention, CMA coordinates volunteer management, maintains and updates governance records, records minutes and distributes executive activity reports, along with managing your board’s nomination and election process. This is all part of our day-to-day association management services.

As your in-house controller, CMA provides your association with turnkey, in-house, financial oversight and CPA financial and tax services, to support a results-driven focus on financial goals. Our comprehensive fiduciary capabilities offer CFO-level association financial services, to analyze and manage your association’s financial affairs. We collect payments, manage investments, coordinate independent audits, and handle all banking and financial reporting functions. CMA also provides expertise through an established relationship with an independent, peer-reviewed CPA firm. Over the last decade, association clients have evolved to operate in a more businesslike manner, particularly from the standpoint of financial management. Similar to our administrative role, CMA’s management of your association’s finances operates flawlessly and meets all of the benchmarks, of a fiscally sound relationship with your association, to ensure your organization’s financial sustainability.

Member Management & Recruiting

One of the key characteristics of a successful association is thriving membership. That happens through effective membership management including regular communications, member programs, member benefits, and other opportunities that attract new prospects and motivate current members to keep their membership in your association. At CMA, we command the full scope of membership acquisition, retention and program development, to boost the engagement and participation of your members. Our strategies will enhance your association’s membership value through year-round member engagement and connectivity. By becoming an integral part of your members’ professional lives, your association’s value will elevate accordingly. Connecting you to your current and potential members is what sets CMA apart, as your association management partner. We operate based on the notion of providing innovative membership value, committed communication and interactivity in member relations. We not only retain membership, but we drive member referrals. Let us lighten your load. We’ll coordinate membership drives, manage your member database and implement communications strategies, among other things.

Headquarters/Administrative Services/
Database Management

As your physical and administrative headquarters for professional day-to-day organizational coordination and execution, the CMA team brings a deep understanding and broad-reaching expertise in all aspects of association management. Whether you are just starting out, bringing your vision into action or looking for support of your growing needs, we can help you every step of the way. We have the resources and experience, to help you thrive. As your administrative hub, each of our association clients is served by an experienced team dedicated to meeting your organization’s specific management and operational needs. Our headquarters supports capabilities ranging from member-central services and financial oversight to database management, strategic planning and full service, in-house award-winning strategic marketing, and integrated marketing communications services. We’ll manage your databases, mailings, dues renewal, event registrations, member surveys and information requests. Communication and accountability are two of our top priorities in delivering top-notch administrative services, for your association. We are ready to take on the challenge of meeting the high expectations for your unique association.

Certification & Accreditation

CMA has developed and successfully implemented several professional certifications, industry accreditations, seals of approval and award programs, which allow members to demonstrate their industry expertise. These initiatives help differentiate associations in the marketplace and affirm value to members and the industry at large. These programs can also be a significant driver of membership and non-dues revenue. Providing career development opportunities through various certificate and accreditation programs helps your members advance in their careers and is key to retaining existing members and attracting new ones. With experience partnering with subject matter experts and examination services to deliver streamlined programs, we champion accreditation to promote industry best practices. Certificate programs can encompass courses in a variety of areas, ranging from a broad overview to more specific operational areas. We provide the expert support and resources to help you implement certification or accreditation programs that keep your members in the forefront of emerging trends and industry knowledge.

Event Management

Every event is important—whether it’s an annual conference, training, retreat or product launch, your gatherings are capable of boosting your association’s professional prestige and networking success. We’ll help you create a clear set of objectives for your event, and strategically craft the event to encompass your goals and budget. Simply booking a speaker, securing a venue and emailing an invitation won’t lead to a successful event. Association events provide a networking forum and opportunities to grow through sponsorship and new memberships. A lot of preparation, time and resources go into effective event management. To ensure your association maximizes its ROI, we’ll assist with everything from registration, to vendor management, to budgeting and developing support materials. Our conference and event management team offers comprehensive service and industry expertise, to ensure a successful event for any organization. We seamlessly coordinate your events and provide access to detail-oriented logistical support from the earliest project stages to post-conference review. Let us pay meticulous attention to the details so that you don’t have to!

Webinars

Sometimes fostering an air of authority is as simple as promoting your own expertise. As an association, you’re in the unique position of possessing a wealth of industry knowledge—knowledge that you can leverage, to build your membership and engage current members. Provide added value to your members by connecting those from across the country and world, through real-time webinars. There also are advantages for you as the “host.” The costs are much lower than organizing a physical event and booking a venue. Whatever your goal is—we know how to reap the benefits of webinars to educate your members, establish your credibility, grow industry visibility or showcase your services. Let the CMA team do the work. We’ll supply the technical know-how to help save you and your members time and energy. It’s no exaggeration—webinars are an all-encompassing way to promote thought leadership, retain current members and attract new ones.

“I just wanted to thank you for all your efforts for a great Annual Conference for ESPA. It was truly one of the best I have attended in terms of content, logistics, networking, local hosting, etc! There were so many top-level speakers that were engaging with timely content. I thought the leadership track was great and something the organization has needed for a long time.
Thanks for all you do to make ESPA so great! How many associations can claim that nearly 2/3 of their membership attends the Annual Conference?!? Great job!”

“On behalf of IMARK Group and myself, I’d like to thank each of you for your contributions to IMARK Now magazine. Our magazine speaks volumes about the quality of our organization, our members, and our suppliers. Because this is such an important part of our brand, we set a very high standard of excellence. With your leadership and support, we believe we met that standard. We receive many positive comments on our magazine and that makes us feel great.”

Steve RuaneIMARK Group

“I have never been the Chairperson of such an event before and it was made so much easier with all of the preparation and assistance provided by ICMA [CMA] staff. The recruiting and vetting of speakers, all of the logistics of the venue, the preparation of the “script” were all first rate! All this effort created a dynamic event that I think is just the start of a great new membership opportunity for ICMA. I really enjoyed working with all of you on this! You have built a really great organization and I’m proud to be just a small part of it!”

Dave TushieICMA Standards Representative and President of Magellan Consulting

“The outcome was even better than expected. Not only the name, MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce, was WOW, but the roll out was superb. And it continues as we re-named our Award winning Business Magazine, Mercer Business to MIDJersey Business. The response has been wonderful.”